Grader



Dec; 30, 1930. w. c. WARD 1,787,295 7 GRADER Filed Nov. 26, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 mvENToh ATTORNEY-S Dec. 30, 1930. w. QW'ARD, 1,787,295

' GRADER Filed Nov. 26, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' INVENTOR Wz'dz zls 0 716212? BY -/W ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 30, 1930 rENr orrice I examine face.- To this end the'inve'nt-ion consists in the novel construction as hereinafter set forth. I

Inthe drawings: I Figure 1 193 plan view of my improved grader;

Figure 2 a side elevation thereof; Figure 3 1s a similar view showing the doperationof the, grader in passing over uneven ground; a 7 g Figured is an enlarged view of one of the hangers or supports for thegrading blades and lllustrates the manner in which said support may be accurately set as to height;

Figure 5 is" sin-enlarged cross section througlione of the forward or planing Figure 6 is a planview of Figure 4-.

v l /ly' improved grader may be drawn by any suitable motive power, such as horses or a tractor or truck, preferably the latter.

Essentiallyithe construction comprises three sets of axles, A, B and C, mounted on suitable ground wheels D and connectedtoeach other by reach frames. The axles A and B are connected throughthe Vesha ped reach frame Ehaving its forward end connected by the I kingpin Fand turntable to the forward axle A and its rear or spread ends connected to the axle B. A similar reach frame E is connected by a kingpin F and turntable G centrally to the axle B,'wl1ile the rear or spreadends are connected to the axle C.

There is also provision for pivotal action of the reach frames E and E in a vertical plane which may be accomplished by attaching one of vsaid frames such as the frame E to pivotal bearings H on the axle B. Thus with the construction as thus far described the axles are all free to move into difierent angular positions so as to facilitate theturning of the Application filed November 26, 1928. Serial No. 321,934.

machine and the reach frames E and 'E are free to assume different angular positions in conformity to the contour of the ground.

I Mounted beneath the reach frame E are planing blades I which are arranged to form a V with the apex pointed rearward and in the center of the vehicle. These bladesI may be supported by vertically adjustable rod or hanger members J which engage suitable bearings on the reach frame. As shown, this reach frame is provided with cross bars K and K which extend to suitable points for forming hearings to receive the hangers J, which hangers are connected near the forward and rear ends of the bladesvI. The blades I are preferably constructed as shown in Figure 5, being arranged at comparatively sharp angles in relation to the'ground and having a sharpened forward and lower edge which acts as a cutting knife for slicing Ti through humps or upward projections in the ground. Preferably the blade properI is bolted or otherwise detachably secured to a supporting bracket member I which in turn is secured to the hangers J. The rear end portions of the blades I are also preferably tapered or pointed so as to leave an opening through which the removed material may be deposited in a ridge in the center of the road.

Beneath the rear reach frame E are supported spreader blades L which are joined together at their forward ends and at the center of the frame to form a plow and which inclines outwardly as they pass to the rear. The spreader blades L are so supported by hangers J similar in construction to the hangers J and which are provided with like means for setting. This means specifically preferably is formed by a series of closely spaced holes J placed in the hanger bar for L engaging a cross pin J arranged above the bearing for the bar and limiting the downward movement thereof. Thus by shifting the pin J 2 this limit of downward movement may be adjusted as desired. Also the hangers at opposite ends of the blades may be independently adjustable so that the blade may be set at any angle desired- This is particularly useful where the road is to be crowned, Mn as it enables the operator to set the blades at anyv desired inclination. Also to facilitate such independent adjustment the hangers V r J are pivotall "ra'isingall of the blades. This, as shown, f consists in a series of-rock levers (a) pivotallyf d v attached to the blades as inicated at J; i

As has been stated .the'grader' may be drawn by any suitable'means such as the truck or tractor M "which 'is coupled to a tongue N extending'forward from; the axle, A

To enable the operator, on the truck to con trol the blades and, particularly to throw them out of action-when" so desired, Ihave'i arranged fa mechanism for simultaneously mountedon brackets O on the reach frames and, connected by links 0 with the-upper ends i ofthehangers .Bell crank arms pro- Ject upward from the arms 0 and areconnectedtolinkrods P, 'lhese rods connect the a Tit-h the constr uc crank arins for the forward and rear nected;fiexiblelinkirods P withfthe link airge s' t each blade, and in turn are conrodsfor the hangers onthe rearreach frame.

The whole forms a system whichwhen the forward bell" cranks are actuated will simultaneou slyfand similarly move allin rear. As

shown,"the forward bell crank levers cross connected bya bar Q WhlCll' in turn a is connected with a cable R extending for-' ward to the truck and then to a Windlass S under the control of the operator of said truck: I

set according to the, character of the work to be done, and as to'whether the road is to lee-flat orcrowned; The blades L will be set at a slightly higher elevation than the blades Iss0 that the earth removedby the former will be distributed uniformly over the} entire surface traversedby" the blades. Thus-with a single passage of the grader over the road, whatever materialhas been removed is again uniformly redistributed If there are alternating hills or depressions in the road the grader is permitted to conform to these as each of the axles is free to rise or fall: independently offhe others. 'lhis,

results in holding the blades substantially 7 parallel tot-he general contour of theroad while permitting the-levelling off of humps and distributing the material in the small depressions When the direction oftravel is changed the wheels of the rear axles will track those on the forward one, thereby cause ring thefspreader plow to traverse the path of the planer blades. The earth removed by these planerfblades is first directed to the center ofithe road where it is depositedin a ridge-,"but thisridgeis levelled downiby the distributorblades socas to be unlformly deposited over the entire width,

What I claim as my invention 1s:

tion described, in operation the blades 1 and L nayfirst be properly spectivelyconnecting said forward and rear axles with the intermediateaxle and so as to provide pivotal connection between said frames, planer blades carried by the forward reach frame and spreader blades carried by the rear reach frame,

the centerbf the path andspreader blades carried by" theirear frame arranged'as 'a;V

with v its apex pointing'forward, 'saidblades I being adapted to uniformly distribute, the

material over the path.)

A. grader comprisingforward,rearand,' intermediate wheeled axles, reachframesirespectively connecting'the said forward and.

rear axles with said intermediate axle and therethrough universally pivoted to permit independent angular. adjustment" in a vert cal andn a hor zontal plane, planer blades carried by said forward reach frameand ar rangcd'ina'li with its apexjpointingrean ward, said blades being obliquely'inclined to present a relatively sharp cutting edge to obstructions in the pa'tln-and spreaderblades carried by the rear frameinll form with the apex pointing forward, saidspreader. blades being arranged in slightly higher position than said planer blades to spread theremoved material uniformly over the path.

4-. -In a'grader, the"co mbination with forward, rear and intermediate axles, of reach" frames respectively connecting, said forward and rear axle with saldimtermediate axle,

and permitting universal pivotal cofn ieotion between said frames, planerblades carried bySiUCl frame, spreader blades carried by said. rear frame, hangers for'supporting said blades independently adjustable to vary the height of the blade, and a common actuating mechanism for simultaneously raising or lowering all of said hangers to throw said blades out of or into work.

' In testimony whereof I 'aflix my signature.

a r Is o. 1 wann- 1.; A grader comprising forward, rear and 7 intermediate wheeled axles, reach frames rellU 

